Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee amends stormwater ordinance to stop billing certain federal installations and wipe past balances
Summary
Committee voted to amend Chapter 99 to exempt qualifying federally owned lands (Marine Corps Air Station, depot, naval hospital, Pinkney Island, Ace Basin) from future stormwater fees and to credit outstanding balances assessed prior to 08/01/2025; staff said the action avoids litigation and resolves prior billing inconsistencies.
The committee moved an amendment to the Beaufort County stormwater ordinance to exempt certain federally owned lands and to credit prior assessed fees, penalties and collection costs up to 08/01/2025. Jared said the county previously paused litigation over billing military installations after a 2022 decision by neighboring municipalities, but the county had not yet removed the billing language from the ordinance; the proposed amendment makes the change explicit so the auditor will no longer mail stormwater bills to qualifying federal properties.
Brian (staff) explained the ordinance amendment will credit outstanding balances (making them zero) where installations qualify as self‑sufficient in stormwater management or have little/no impervious surfaces. He said the county had received letters from Department of Justice and Department of Interior challenging the authority to charge certain federal properties; the amendment aims to avoid renewed litigation. Committee members discussed which installations and parcels are covered (the air station, depot, Naval hospital, Pinkney Island, and ACE Basin) and the committee approved the amendment and referred the ordinance to County Council.
